Cooking has become something that I've learned to enjoy over the years. I admit that when I graduated from high school and started college, I didn't really know how to cook Sure, I could boil water for tea, or to cook hot dogs in, or to pour into a container of Cup Noodles, or to add to a can of Campbell's condensed tomato soup, and I knew how to make toast, and I knew how to use a microwave (hello Lean Cuisine and Weight Watchers frozen meals! *waves*), but that was about it.
I admit that I was fairly lucky in that during my first two years of college, I lived in on campus, dormitory housing, which meant that while I had access to a mini fridge and to a microwave, for my day to day food needs, I needed a meal plan. I remember spending a lot of time standing in line for my turn at the stir fry station, and going to the student union for something to eat there for lunch in between classes. During my junior year of college, I lucked out, and managed to convince one of my friends who happened to be a good cook to live with me in an on campus apartment. I remember experimenting a bit with cooking then, but really, A. was the real cook. I remember one time when she made homemade pizza from scratch, and then used the extra dough to make bread sticks.
During my last semester of college (I graduated a semester early), I lived with two other friends who were both good cooks in their own right, so I didn't really have to worry about cooking for the last 3.5 to 4 months of my college career.
I subleased one bedroom in a five bedroom apartment from January to August 2008, and then from September 2008 to August 2010, I lived with my friend J. in a two bedroom apartment. I managed to feed myself adequately in the eight months before J. and I moved in together. I remember cooking a lot of those frozen meals from P.F. Chang's that you find in the freezer section at the store, and I also remember making crock pot mac and cheese once that my roommates said was good. Living with J. was awesome as far as I was concerned, because she was a good cook. (Example: I remember her making homemade pop tarts one year for my birthday.)
What I am trying to say is that when Adrian and I started dating in January 2009, I was 23 years old, and not a very accomplished home cook. I remember how, as I started getting to know Adrian and doing things like meeting his friends, and spending nights at his apartment, I realized that Adrian's level of cooking skills were at about the same level as mine. I decided that, if this relationship was going to go the way that I wanted it to, then I had to step up my "A Game" and learn how to be a better cook, because I didn't trust Adrian's cooking skills at all.
Hi, my name is Mary, and I am a Terrible Feminist because I learned how to cook mostly because I was interested in someone.
It's been a slow process, and there has been a learning curve. I was very excited when Adrian and I invested in a rice cooker, and when we invested in a crock pot. I also expanded my repertoire thanks to the pre-measured packets of spices and sauces that McCormick produces. Some of my favorite dishes to make are stuffed peppers and crock pot turkey chili. I love dishes where I have plenty of leftovers for later in the week, and for freezing. I've also gotten pretty good at baking cookies, breads, scones, and muffins.
I admit that I was fairly lucky in that during my first two years of college, I lived in on campus, dormitory housing, which meant that while I had access to a mini fridge and to a microwave, for my day to day food needs, I needed a meal plan. I remember spending a lot of time standing in line for my turn at the stir fry station, and going to the student union for something to eat there for lunch in between classes. During my junior year of college, I lucked out, and managed to convince one of my friends who happened to be a good cook to live with me in an on campus apartment. I remember experimenting a bit with cooking then, but really, A. was the real cook. I remember one time when she made homemade pizza from scratch, and then used the extra dough to make bread sticks.
During my last semester of college (I graduated a semester early), I lived with two other friends who were both good cooks in their own right, so I didn't really have to worry about cooking for the last 3.5 to 4 months of my college career.
I subleased one bedroom in a five bedroom apartment from January to August 2008, and then from September 2008 to August 2010, I lived with my friend J. in a two bedroom apartment. I managed to feed myself adequately in the eight months before J. and I moved in together. I remember cooking a lot of those frozen meals from P.F. Chang's that you find in the freezer section at the store, and I also remember making crock pot mac and cheese once that my roommates said was good. Living with J. was awesome as far as I was concerned, because she was a good cook. (Example: I remember her making homemade pop tarts one year for my birthday.)
What I am trying to say is that when Adrian and I started dating in January 2009, I was 23 years old, and not a very accomplished home cook. I remember how, as I started getting to know Adrian and doing things like meeting his friends, and spending nights at his apartment, I realized that Adrian's level of cooking skills were at about the same level as mine. I decided that, if this relationship was going to go the way that I wanted it to, then I had to step up my "A Game" and learn how to be a better cook, because I didn't trust Adrian's cooking skills at all.
Hi, my name is Mary, and I am a Terrible Feminist because I learned how to cook mostly because I was interested in someone.
It's been a slow process, and there has been a learning curve. I was very excited when Adrian and I invested in a rice cooker, and when we invested in a crock pot. I also expanded my repertoire thanks to the pre-measured packets of spices and sauces that McCormick produces. Some of my favorite dishes to make are stuffed peppers and crock pot turkey chili. I love dishes where I have plenty of leftovers for later in the week, and for freezing. I've also gotten pretty good at baking cookies, breads, scones, and muffins.
I have made this Tuscan Chicken Skillet dish a few times already, and I really enjoy it. One of my friends just posted this Mushroom Risotto with Cauliflower Rice recipe on Facebook, and I want to try to make it at some point. I have also made banana bread using this recipe, and I give it two thumbs up.
Last summer, I decided to cut pasta and rice out of my diet, mostly because I thought that I was eating too much of both. I decided that quinoa would be a good substitute for rice, and so that's what I've been using. I don't miss spaghetti so much, but I do find myself missing ravioli and lasagna from time to time.
Last summer, I decided to cut pasta and rice out of my diet, mostly because I thought that I was eating too much of both. I decided that quinoa would be a good substitute for rice, and so that's what I've been using. I don't miss spaghetti so much, but I do find myself missing ravioli and lasagna from time to time.
True confesson: I generally know how to make food, and still, about 85% of the food I prepare started as a mostly premade meal from Trader Joes.
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